The Shaving Cadre
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Brew's Foul Concoction
- Thread starter Brew
- Start date
Brew
Shave Enthusiast
My package of CBL soap arrived yesterday with way more in it than I ordered. Thanks Chris! I can't wait to work my way through the variety! This morning I shaved with the Black Rose Oud. This is a very good soap with a really interesting fragrance. The lather was easy and thirsty, with great cushion and glide. The fragrance kept "switching" back and forth between heavy rose and an underlying oud; I liked it a lot and look forward to using it again.
Yeah, he does that. Great Guy!
Brew
Shave Enthusiast
I don't know if Chris "overheard" my comments around here regarding my love for lavender, but one of the extras was a hefty sample of the CBL lavender soap. Cant wait to try it. Chris also included an extra tonsorial soap sample, and one other that escapes me for now. I'll need to pick up a good container to put the tonsorial samples in; I'm sure there's something suitable at Wegmans.
I got a 4 pack of those anchor hocking glass bowls with lids pretty cheap and they work really well. I think dave in ky has a picture of the same thing in his journal sometime in the last few days.
woodpusher
TSC’s International Man of Meh
The Tonsorial do be good stuff 
Brew
Shave Enthusiast
I never really appreciated my K3 strop until I started to learn a little bit about cordovan. When I strop on my K3 it gets darker as the edge travels back and forth. Although I've never stropped on my cordovan shoes, the shoes do seem to respond really nicely to being brushed by horse hair. Shoe brushes, though, not shaving brushes. lol. I've understood this to be part of the difference between leathers that are skin, like cowhides, and leathers that are not skin but membranes from under the skin, like cordovan. These membranes, which are not exposed to the animal's day-to-day skin blemishes etc., are treated with oils that return to the surface when brushed. I think this is why the k3 gets darker as I strop.
Dave in KY
Shave Newbie
Interesting observation
I’m happy to hear you like the black rose Oud scent and the soap is working for you. That scent is really unique and definitely one of my favorites. I really wanted to send you (I may still) another Oud based scent I have been holding off making because my nose doesn’t appreciate it to its fullest and I wanted an Oud aficionado to weigh in ... now that I’ve gone and made 40 tubs of the stuff it’s all academic but your thoughts would still be worth hearing .
Brew
Shave Enthusiast
The BRO was sneaky. Every time I thought I had the rose sussed, the oud would sneak in an monkey with the fragrance. This is what I think rose, oud, sandalwood, and aloes do for each other, and did really nicely in your soap. I need to play with the water more, though, I think I can get a better lather out of it yet.
I'll need to work more with the grassroots and tonsorial also, as I don't think I'm getting these lathers where I think they can go.
This is one of the problems I have with all soaps, not just CBL. I need to work at them to get them where I like them. Creams are just easier, and I'm just lazy . . . .
Oh, and just because I stink, doesn't make me an aficionado. I work from a basement office and live with a dog. I like experimenting with fragrances. I love barn yard anamalic fragrances, and have no problem trying unisex stuff that some guys might think too "feminine." But oud is my favorite, no doubt. Happy to give my two cents, as long as you discount it for what it's really worth. lol
Brew
Shave Enthusiast
One of my favorite fragrances, maybe my favorite western fragrance, is Guerlain's Jicky. Today, this is a woman's fragrance. Don't tell Sean Connery that, or Roger Moore, for that matter. But I understand how many would find it too, "pretty" today. BTW, it has a cinnamon note that pairs perfectly with Tabac AS.
For what it's worth both the premium version and the tonsorial version can take a good amount of water but they tend to provide a creamier texture if you start with less then add. I am finding the tonsorial is serviceable with a "normal" amount of water but really turns on the charm when you get it well hydrated. I guess the key is loading the right amount so you don't spend all day adding water. I made some softer soap that was just shy of being a cream, after using that I can see why you find cream so user friendly. As a general rule, I don't find a lot of difference in how creams, croaps and hard soaps leave my face feeling. The difference for me has always been how they lather...or more accurately, how I am able to lather them.
Now to go find myself some Guerlain Jicky.
Now to go find myself some Guerlain Jicky.
Brew
Shave Enthusiast
Yes, I may not be loading enough soap too, that's the other variable. I find most of this work is done for me with creams. Like I said, lazy. BTW, Speick is my benchmark. It so easily mixes into a bowl of slime that oozes from my brush like honey from a dripper. It's got an elasticity that is remarkable, and washes clean like any other good lather. A couple others can do this for me, but none as easily and consistently as Speick.
I hope you enjoy Jicky. It's been reformulated many times, but I still love it. I've tried the vintage too, which was just mind bogglingly beautiful. I miss it very much, but refuse to pay the price while I still enjoy the modern mixes.
I hope you enjoy Jicky. It's been reformulated many times, but I still love it. I've tried the vintage too, which was just mind bogglingly beautiful. I miss it very much, but refuse to pay the price while I still enjoy the modern mixes.
Brew
Shave Enthusiast
I tried the Outlaw CBL soap today. I loaded the snot outta the stuff! And then I dumped a bucket of water into the scuttle with it. Used a stiff boar brush and created a great lather. Rich, smooth, awesome cushion, it almost wanted to be elastic, like my favorite. So close. I'm thinking I can get more from it still, so stay tuned. [Note: lots of boring stuff until then, probably]. As for the fragrance, I did not re-read Chris's notes prior to my shave, so I couldn't remember what I was in for. I figured it would be something leathery or smokey, given the name. But was totally befuddled while actually shaving. Not a single clue. At one point I thought, "leathery," but then I figured, "that's probably my brain/nose making stuff up based on the name." Regardless, it was a real nice shave, which I finished with some AoS lemon ASB (my goes with almost anything AS), and some Zoologist's Civet (which is a monster of a frag; some find a bit naughty lol).
I'll keep playing with these soaps. The fragrances are neat and the performance only seems to be limited at the other end of the brush.
I'll keep playing with these soaps. The fragrances are neat and the performance only seems to be limited at the other end of the brush.
Brew
Shave Enthusiast
My SOTD pics are neither good nor SOTD pics. They're really, What Did You Use pics, so I started a thread for Straights in the straight section. I hope that's not a problem. I"m sure a mod will kill it if it is (no problem if that happens). But given the activity over there, it may just die from neglect. We'll see.
I very much appreciate the apparent journal-focus of TSC. I recall that's how the Legacies met, and I'm glad you've made a home for yourselves and the rest of us. I also enjoy the convenience of using the forum software. I am a member of one other forum (not shave related), and navigating TSC is an absolute pleasure by comparison. Good content, ease of use, what more can a guy ask for? Thank you.
I very much appreciate the apparent journal-focus of TSC. I recall that's how the Legacies met, and I'm glad you've made a home for yourselves and the rest of us. I also enjoy the convenience of using the forum software. I am a member of one other forum (not shave related), and navigating TSC is an absolute pleasure by comparison. Good content, ease of use, what more can a guy ask for? Thank you.